From Businessman to Physics Teacher: How War Reshaped One Man’s Career Near Kyiv

Vyacheslav Stetsko’s New Path

According to Главком: When the full-scale war broke out, entrepreneur Vyacheslav Stetsko abandoned commerce and became a physics teacher. In the fall of 2025, he started teaching at a school in Boyarka, a town in the Kyiv region. Alongside his classroom work, Stetsko runs a blog on social media, with accounts on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. His videos attract hundreds of thousands-and sometimes millions-of views, with his very first clip hitting 1,000 views in just five minutes.

Stetsko holds a master’s degree that qualifies him to teach, though before the war he was focused on running a trading business. During the conflict, he began working part-time as a tutor, which pushed him toward education.

“I finished my master’s with a teaching qualification. Back then, I didn’t think about pedagogy-my mind was on engineering. I was in business, making money. Then the war started, and my business collapsed. During the war, I started tutoring on the side, doing what I truly enjoy,”

Stetsko explained.

Teaching Philosophy

He emphasizes that the war forced him to choose his path:

“The war dragged on, and at some point I had to decide: am I a teacher or a soldier? And, of course, I am a teacher.”

Stetsko also believes that “there are no bad children-only undiscovered talents.” He strives to create a friendly environment where students feel free to speak up and aren’t afraid of making mistakes. “My approach is to make learning easy. There’s nothing inherently difficult about it. People usually dislike what they call ‘work.’ But I say: I’m at school. I’m with them-they’re learning, and I’m learning too. We’re in the same boat,” the educator shares.

In the world of pedagogy, another standout is computer science teacher Oleksandr Dumyshynets, who made it into the top 50 of the Global Teacher Prize 2025. Last year, he was also a participant in the award and reached the finals. Oleksandr teaches at the Midgard private school in Kyiv, demonstrating a high level of professionalism and dedication to his craft.

Vyacheslav Stetsko and Oleksandr Dumyshynets are vivid examples of how educators can adapt to new circumstances and shape students’ lives, even in the face of immense challenges. The shifts in profession driven by the war highlight the critical role of education during crises, as well as the opportunity for teachers to drive positive change in the classroom-helping build a new generation ready to meet the demands of today’s world.